We just got a 12 week old purebred german shepherd. I'm over the moon, just love this breed. He seems very smart, learned tricks very quickly. It's the behavior part that seems to be getting us.

We came a long way in the biting department but there are times he will still crunch down on fingers and hands when playing (never to hurt just in a play way) but I don't find this acceptable, especially since he is a large breed puppy and I don't want him thinking any amount of biting, playing or not is acceptable. How can I get him to stop biting?

He is in his chewing phase, and chews everything. For the most part he listens when we tell him to leave it or drop it (probably only because we're talking stenly) but how can we prevent him from chewing at all.

So far he is coming when we call but our vet predicted he will weigh 100 lbs full grown and I need to know he will come when called every single time, without fail. Any ideas?

Welcome.  Any pictures?

Have you signed up for a puppy training class yet?  

I've taken loads of pictures but my USB ports arn't working. We haven't looked into puppy classes, there really arn't any here. Like I said he pretty much has alot down but just the few things. Today I took him for a walk and he took a piece out of my glove trying to chew his leash. It's just the little things like that.

You are describing normal puppy behavior.  Do you have copies of Ian Dunbar books?   He does a great job of breaking down the training steps for the behaviors you describe.  (I'm trying to type with one hand, so don't have the patience to type it all out).

Teaching a solid "come" is something that takes several months, lots of positive reenforcement, never negative reenforcement (even a bath or hooking on the leash is negative), and never the opportunity to blow you off.   Jean Donaldson's book "Culture Clash" has superb break down of teaching a PhD level come.

It is valuable to get him together with other puppies, even socially, at this age.

How are you socializing him?  He should meet 100 different people of all ages, sizes, genders, races, disabilities etc before his four month birthday.

hey, dot!   :--)

there are TWO free downloadable books on this web-page -
Before U Get Ur Pup. and After U Get Ur Pup.

http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads

they can be read on the Web, download the pdf-file,
or printed as hard-copy. they contain Excellent! info on teaching
pups a soft mouth, AKA an inhibited bite - meaning gentle.

i would STOP anybody from playing rough games, no grabbing,
no rumpling his ears / head/ neck, no wrestling, etc. that sort of play
triggers bites + nipping from over-arousal.  men + boys love these
sorts of games, but they are bad for the dog - creating habits that
are extremely difficult to erase.

teach him Tug-of-Peace and a good Drop-It, by going dead-armed
and hanging Ur arm deadweight on the toy, PRAISE him when he
releases it (giving up on getting U to play), and ** immediately **
re-engage him in tug - That is his REWARD for drop-it - he gets to
play again, instantly!

>>  He is in his chewing phase, and chews everything...
how can we prevent him from chewing at all. << - dot
>
U cannot - dogs eat, which is chewing, all their lives - they also CHEW,
which is a deep pleasure + self-comfort, all their lives. its normal.
WHAT He Chews is a whole nother thing - but literally 99% of that is
*management*, not training. putting my shoes away in my closet, with
the door shut, is Mgmt - my shoes are safe.  putting the remote for the
TV in a place inaccessible to the pup is Mgmt;  putting the trash-can
into a closet that he cannot open, or behind a cupboard door with a
child-lock, is Mgmt.  etc, etc,...

puppy-proofing every thing that U can, LIMITING his access to things
that U do not want to be damaged, and putting away items that are
fragile (tails, playful bounding...) or irreplaceable, is part of Life With
a Puppy.  when he is about a year old, the more fragile otems can
come back out - a few at a time.
but U are ALWAYS responsible for seeing that DANGEROus things
are out of reach!  cleaning chems, meds, pesticide like SNAILbait
(dogs LOVE it), hazardous stuff like ANTIFREEZE (dogs LOVE it),
and so on.
Cocoa mulch - don;t buy it, if it is in the yard, TAKE IT OUT -
dogs ingest it, often fatally.  poinsettias:  Poison; mistletoe: Poison.
PineSol: poison, liver-toxin, skin-permeable - and dogs have BARE
feet!

providing him with safe things to chew is Ur job as a pup-parent;
solid rubber toys like rubber balls, bones, etc, Nylabones of solid
nylon,  sturdy heavy-walled sterilized marrow bones, cow-hooves
(IF he does not cip them up, and Swallow! the chips - some dogs do,
none of mine have... yet; all of my dogs chewed them, and let the bits
fall + lie there).  when he is teething, a rope-bone soaked in water,
then frozen, is often a noce gum-soother - put it in a plastic grocery
bag to keep the chwed-bone from contact with food.

re his Adult Wt -
DOUBLE his wt at 16-WO, and U should be within 5# of his *fit*
adult wt (Fat wt can be anything - morbid-obesity is 50% BMI fat).
that is assuming he is in good body-condition now.

Q -
as a GSD, it is a good idea to keep him a bit lean.
hips + knees are iffy in the breed - Were his parents OFAd?

congratulations on the pup!  and happy training...
cheers, 
    ----   terry

terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, IPDTA, TDF